Abstract: A vehicle interior monitoring system to identify, locate and/or monitor occupants, including their parts, and other objects in the passenger compartment in which waves are transmitted into a space in the passenger compartment in which an occupying item might be situated and a receiver receives waves modified by passing through the space in the passenger compartment in which the occupying item might be situated. Outputs from the receiver are used to affect another system in the vehicle. Also, the outputs may be analyzed, e.g., by computational means employing pattern recognition technologies, to classify, identify and/or locate the contents. In general, the information obtained by the identification and monitoring system is used to affect the operation of some other system in the vehicle. When the system is installed in the passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle equipped with an airbag, the system determines the position of the vehicle occupant relative to the airbag and, e.g.

Abstract: System for determining the occupancy of a seat in a vehicle using pattern recognition technologies and techniques that apply to any combination of transducers that provide information about seat occupancy, for example, weight sensors, capacitive sensors, inductive sensors, ultrasonic, optical, electromagnetic, motion, infrared and radar sensors. A processor is coupled to the transducers for receiving data therefrom and processes the data to obtain an output indicative of the seat's current occupancy state. A combination neural network is resident in the processor and is created from data sets, each representing a different occupancy state of the seat and being formed from data from the transducers while the seat is in that occupancy state. The combination neural network produces the output indicative of the current occupancy state of the seat upon inputting a data set representing the current occupancy state of the seat and being formed from data from the transducers.

Abstract: System and method for preventing vehicle accidents in which the absolute position of the vehicle is determined, e.g., using a satellite-based positioning system such as GPS, and the location of the vehicle relative to the edges of the roadway is then determined based on the absolute position of the vehicle and stored data relating to edges of roadways on which the vehicle may travel. A system or component within the vehicle is initiated, e.g., an alarm or warning system, or the operation of a system or component is affected, e.g., an automatic guidance system, if the location of the vehicle approaches close to an edge of the roadway or intersects with an edge of the roadway.

Abstract: Vehicular rear seat area monitoring system including at least one wave-receiving sensor arranged behind the front seat to receive waves from a space above the rear seat and a processor coupled to the sensor(s) for controlling another system in the vehicle based on the waves received by the sensor(s). The sensors may be of several different types. For example, an optical sensor can be provided which receives images including the space above the rear seat, a CCD array, a CMOS array and an optical camera including a lens can be used, and a radar sensor is also a possibility. If one of the sensors is a radar sensor, then the processor may be designed or trained to analyze motion of objects in the rear seat based on the waves received by the radar sensor and control the system based on any motion of the objects.

Abstract: Arrangement for obtaining information about objects in an environment around a vehicle, e.g., in blind spots of the driver of the vehicle, including one or more light emitting components arranged on the vehicle for emitting infrared light into the environment around the vehicle and receivers arranged on the vehicle for receiving infrared light from the environment around the vehicle. The information about the objects is obtained based on analysis of the received infrared light by a processor, e.g., the distance between the vehicle and the object, the velocity of the object and the identity of the object. Pattern recognition techniques are preferably used to obtain the desired information. Control of the vehicle can be effected based on the detection of particular objects and their position and velocity, e.g., an audio or visual warning device or a steering wheel control device.

Abstract: Vehicle seat structure including a seat defining a surface adapted to contact an occupying item and a weight sensor arrangement arranged in connection with the seat for providing an indication of the weight applied by the occupying item to the surface of the seat. The weight sensor arrangement includes conductive members spaced apart from one another such that a capacitance develops between opposed ones of the conductive members upon incorporation of the conductive members in an electrical circuit. The capacitance is based on the space between the conductive members which varies in relation to the weight applied by the occupying item to the surface of the seat.

Abstract: Methods for classifying and ascertaining the identity of an object in a seat in a vehicle in which a wave-receiving sensor receives waves at least from a space above the seat and generates a signal representative of the received waves and a weight sensing system obtains information about the weight being applied to the seat. Tests are conducted on different objects, each test entailing receiving waves by means of the wave-receiving sensor and the information about the weight being applied to the seat from the weight sensing system while that object is situated in the seat and associating the signal representative of the received waves and information about the weight being applied to the seat with that object. An algorithm is generated from the tests and adapted to process a signal representative of waves received by the wave-receiving sensor and information about the weight being applied to the seat from the weight sensing system and classify or identify the object most closely associated therewith.

Abstract: Occupant protection system for protecting one or more occupants of a vehicle including a deployable occupant protection device arranged on at least one of the seats, a deployment determining unit which generates a signal indicative of whether deployment of the occupant protection device is desired, and an electrical bus extending into the seat and electrically coupling the occupant protection device and the deployment determining unit. The signal from the deployment determining unit is sent over the bus to the occupant protection device to enable deployment thereof. The occupant protection device may include an airbag module having an airbag and be arranged at a rear of the seat to be deployable rearward for protecting an occupant situated behind the seat. The deployment determining unit preferably includes a crash sensor coupled to the bus for sensing a crash event and providing a signal indicative thereof.

Abstract: Electrical system in a vehicle including a plurality of devices used in the operation of the vehicle, a single communication bus to which the devices are connected and a single power bus to which the devices are connected. The devices include at least one accelerometer and/or at least one airbag initiator. The power bus provides power to the devices while the communication bus provides communications to and from the devices to, e.g., a control module. The devices are preferably provided with individual device addresses such that each device will respond only to its device address. Each bus may include a pair of wires and a single pair of wires may constitute both buses.

Abstract: Arrangement and method for controlling deployment of a side airbag to protect a vehicular occupant during a crash. The presence and/or position of the occupant is/are determined and deployment of the airbag is controlled based thereon. A transducer receives waves from a space above a seat portion of the seat and a signal representative of the presence and/or position of the occupant is generated based on the received waves. The transducer may transmits waves into the space above the seat portion. The transducer may be mounted in a door of the vehicle and possibly adjacent the airbag module. Deployment of the airbag can be suppressed, the time at which deployment of the airbag starts, the rate of gas flow into the airbag, the rate of gas flow from the airbag and/or the rate of deployment of the airbag is/are controlled based on the presence and/or position of the occupant.

Abstract: A vehicle interior monitoring system to identify, locate and monitor occupants, including their parts, and other objects in the passenger compartment and objects outside of a motor vehicle, such as an automobile or truck, by illuminating the contents of the vehicle and objects outside of the vehicle with electromagnetic, and specifically infrared, radiation and using one or more lenses to focus images of the contents onto one or more arrays of charge coupled devices (CCD arrays). Outputs from the CCD arrays are analyzed by appropriate computational means employing trained pattern recognition technologies, to classify, identify or locate the contents or external objects. In general, the information obtained by the identification and monitoring system is used to affect the operation of some other system in the vehicle.

Abstract: System and method for determining occupancy of a vehicle in which a radar system emits radio waves into an interior of the vehicle in which objects might be situated and receives radio waves and a processor coupled to the radar system determines the presence of any repetitive motions indicative of a living occupant in the vehicle based on the received radio waves such that the presence of living occupants in the vehicle is ascertainable upon the determination of the presence of repetitive motions indicative of a living occupant. Repetitive motions indicative of a living occupant may be a heart beat or breathing as reflected by movement of the chest. The processor may be programmed to analyze the frequency of the repetitive motions based on the received radio waves whereby a frequency in a predetermined range is indicative of a heartbeat or breathing.

Abstract: System and method for analyzing motion of occupants of the vehicle in which a wave-receiving system receives waves from spaces above seats of the vehicle in which the occupants would normally be situated and a processor coupled to the wave-receiving system determines movement of any occupants based on the received waves. The wave-receiving system may be arranged on a rear view mirror, in a headliner, roof, ceiling or windshield header, in an A-Pillar or B-Pillar, above a top surface of an instrument panel, and in connection with a steering wheel or an airbag module. The processor can be programmed to determine the location of the head, chest and/or torso of any occupants. If it determines the location of the head of any occupants, it could monitor the position thereof to determine whether the occupant is falling asleep or becoming incapacitated.

Abstract: Vehicle seat structure including a seat defining a surface contacting an occupying item, slide mechanisms coupled to the seat for enabling movement of the seat and support members for supporting the seat on the slide mechanisms such that weight of the occupying item passes through the support members. At least one support member has a region with a stiffness lower than the stiffness of a remaining region thereof. A strain gage measurement system generates a signal indicative of the weight of the occupying item and includes at least one strain gage transducer arranged in the lower stiffness region of the support member to measure strain thereof. The lower stiffness region can have a smaller outer circumference than a circumference of the remaining region of the support member and/or at least one aperture extends partially across the circumference of the support member to thereby define the lower stiffness region.

Abstract: Vehicle seat including a cushion defining a surface adapted to support an occupying item, a spring system arranged underneath the cushion and a sensor arranged in association with the spring system and/or cushion for generating a signal based on downward movement of the cushion caused by occupancy of the seat which is indicative of the weight of the occupying item. The sensor can be a spring retained at both ends and which is tensioned upon downward movement of the cushion whereby a force in the spring indicative of weight of the occupying item is measured. The sensor can also include strain gages, e.g., SAW strain gages.

Abstract: System and method for controlling operation of a vehicle or a component thereof based on recognition of a individual including a processor embodying a pattern recognition algorithm trained to identify whether a person is the individual by analyzing data derived from optical images and an optical receiving unit for receiving images including the person and deriving data from the images. The optical receiving unit provides the data to the algorithm to obtain an indication from the algorithm whether the person is the individual. A security system enables operation of the vehicle when the algorithm provides an indication that the person is an individual authorized to operate the vehicle and prevents operation of the vehicle when the algorithm does not provide an indication that the person is an individual authorized to operate the vehicle. A component adjustment system adjusts the component based on the recognition of the individual.

Abstract: Apparatus for disabling an airbag system for a seating position within a motor vehicle in which occupant sensors are situated adjacent or on a roof above the seat and the presence or absence of an occupant of the seating position is detected using the occupant sensor(s). The airbag system is disabled if the seating position is unoccupied. The position of an occupant is detected if the seating position is occupied and the airbag system is disabled if the occupant's position would result in injury to the occupant greater than any injury resulting from non-deployment. Further, the airbag deployment parameters, e.g., rate of inflation and time of deployment, may be modified based on the occupant's position to adjust inflation of the airbag according to proximity of the occupant to the airbag door.

Abstract: Arrangements and method for determining the position of an occupant of a vehicle situated on a seat in the vehicle in which the position of the seat or a part thereof, e.g., the seat portion or back portion, is determined relative to a fixed point of reference to thereby enable an approximation of the position of the occupant to be obtained. The payout of a seatbelt from a seatbelt retractor can be measured and used to better provide the actual position of the occupant. An additional approximation of the position of the occupant can be obtained by receiving waves from the space above the seat in order to improve the determination of the likely, actual position of the occupant. Once the position of the occupant is determined, it can be used in the control of a deployable occupant restraint device such as an airbag.

Abstract: Methods for controlling a system in a vehicle in which radiation is directed from a transducer into the passenger compartment and is reflected off or modified by an object in the passenger compartment and received by the same or a different transducer. When ultrasonic waves in particular are used, several techniques are used to compensate for thermal gradients in the passenger compartment and/or enable the use of a single transducer to send and receive waves.

Abstract: Arrangement and method for controlling deployment of a side airbag to protect a vehicular occupant during a crash. The presence and/or position of the occupant is/are determined and deployment of the airbag is controlled based thereon. A transducer receives waves from a space above a seat portion of the seat and a signal representative of the presence and/or position of the occupant is generated based on the received waves. The transducer may transmits waves into the space above the seat portion. The transducer may be mounted in a door of the vehicle and possibly adjacent the airbag module. Deployment of the airbag can be suppressed, the time at which deployment of the airbag starts, the rate of gas flow into the airbag, the rate of gas flow from the airbag and/or the rate of deployment of the airbag is/are controlled based on the presence and/or position of the occupant.